A coroner today described the friendly fire death of British soldier Matty Hull as entirely avoidable and hit out at the failure of the US military to co-operate with his investigation into the incident during the Iraq war in 2003.

At an inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court, in the old County Hall building, in New Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire assistant deputy coroner Andrew Walker said: "I believe that the full facts have not yet come to light."